George c



Ga C. FLOWER.- DIL .ARPE'ICAUDN FILED 0CT.9, 191B.`

l ,31 0,068, Patented Jlly l5, 1919.

IW/ f"IZ Y. A' l i m. coLummA PLANOGEAPH C0.. v lAsl-HKGNN. D. E.

GEORGE c. FLOWER, .or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

DIE.

speeicauon of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application lezi October 9, 1918. Serial No. 257,438.

` To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. FLOWER, a. citizen of the United States, residing'at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDies, ofv

which the following is a specification,

My invention consists of an improvement in dies, particularly adapted to the inanufacture of connecting arms, girts, or b-races made of flattened pipe metal or `other blanks.

It has for its object to provide die mechanismadapted to shear OEy the corners of a swaged blank, and to also punch a bolt hole therein, whereby to provide finished lends for the flattened blank, in the manner more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, showing Onepreferred embodiment of the invention, y

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a brace or girt rod showing the end thereof in swaged down form previous to operation by the dies;u

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the end of the girt, after the shearing and punching operations;

v Fig. 3 isa longitudinal central vertical sectional view through an apparatus utilizing my invention, showing the blank in position after beingsheared and punched;

Fig. 4 is a planlview thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line V-V of Fig.' 3.

In the manufacture of braces and girts for the purpose of bracing any desired structure, as for instance, an oil well or other derrick, the gir-ts are cormnonly made of pipe sections, swaged down flat at each end and bolted to the main corner or other framework by a bolt extending through the central terminal portion of the brace or girt. Ordinarily, the swaging operation leaves the end of the blank in rectangular form, more or less ragged and irregular, causing resulting interference with the connected parts, unless removed or finished.

My invention has in view to provide means for removing the corner portions of the swaged down or flattened attaching terminals, and to also punch out a centrally arranged securing bolt hole, with a minimum number of operations and with a lview to speed and economy of operation.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a suitableframe or base 2 mounted upon a supporting bedv plate or base 3 and suitably 'secured thereto for rigid connection and operation. Mounted in the end portion of frame 2, either integrally therewith or separately, is a backing or supporting punching die member 4 having a clearance opening 5 for the punched out waste metal in forming the central bolt hole 6. Inwardly in` front of the bearing face 7 of die 4 is a receiving space a bounded within back face 7 and side walls 8, 8, against the inner faces of which walls the edge portions 9 of the swaged down blank 10 bear when the blank is inserted in space a.

A supporting bottom or limiting floor 11 is provided Iagainst which the end of the blank rests when inserted between wall faces 8, 8, as in Fig. 5, at each side of which are clearance openings 12, 12, for escape of the corner portions in the blank, as sheared. In front and at'each side of cavity a are shearing edges 13, 13, rounded or shaped to the desired shape of the sheared end of the blank, whereby to provide an approximately rounded end for'the blank when sheared. A reciprocable die 14, mounted between the side `portions 15, 15, of frame 2 and corresponding in contour to the edges 13, operatestherewith by means of actuating cams 16,16, of, power driven shaft 17, mounted in suitable bearings 18, 18. Die 14 is retracted by any suitableA spring mechanism 19 and operates, 'when blank 10 is inserted in cavity a`,`to shear on' the corner portions which fall downwardly through clearance openings 12.

An independent punching die 20 mounted within a receiving cavity 21 of die 14 and connected with operating spindle 22 having an enlarged head 23, is also normally retracted by spring 24 within die 14. Punch 20, after the shearing operation, is projected Vforwardly of die 14 by means of suitably formed and timed cam 25 operable shortly after the shearing operation, both cams permitting retraction of the shearing die and punching die, whereby to provide for withdrawal of the finished blank and insertion of another one.

The construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description. It provides substantially simultaneous means for shearing and punching the blank in one operation, or two quickly succeeding operations. The size, proportions and other features of the invention may be readily changed or varied by the skilled mechanic to suit varying sizes and shape of blanks, but all such changes are to be considered as Within the scope of the following claims.

I claim z- 1. Mechanism for shearing and punching a flattened blank comprising a bottom support and a fixed die provided with positively arranged shearing edges and clearance openings for Waste material at each end of said support, and a composite die having co-acting shearing edges and a punch, and means for actuating said die and punch.

2. Mechanism for shearing and punching a flattened blank comprising a bottom support and a fixed die provided with positively arranged shearing edges and clearance openings for Waste material at each side of said support, a reciprocable die havin co-acting shearing edges, a punch in sai die, and means for reciprocably actuating said die and gllnch.

3. l echanism for shearing and punching a iiattened blank comprising a bottom support and a fixed die provided with positively7 arranged shearing edges and clearance openings for waste material at each side of said support, a reciprocable die having co-acting shearing` edges, apunch in said die, means for actuating said shearing die, and independently operative means for actuating the punch.

4l. In combination, a frame having a bottom support, a receiving recess for a flattened blank and lateral shearing edges and clearance openings for Waste at each side of said support, a punching die beyond said shearing edges, a reciprocable shear mounted in the frame and coperable With said shearing edges, a punch mounted in the shear, and

cam mechanismfor actuating the shear and punch.

5. In combination, a frame having a bottom support, a receiving recess for a flattended blank and lateral shearing edges and clearance openings for Waste at each side of saidsupport, a punching die beyond said shearing edges, a reciprocable shear mounted inthe frame and coperable with said shearing edges, a punch mounted in the shear, cam mechanism for actuating the shear and punch, and means for retracting the shear and punch.

6. In combination, a frame having a bottom support, a receiving recess for a flattened blank and lateral shearing edges and clearance openings for Waste at each side of said support, a punching die beyond said shearing edges, a reciprocable shear mounted in the frame and coperable With said shearing edges, a punch mounted in the shear, earn mechanism for actuating the shear, and cam mechanism for actuating the punch subsequent to the shear actuation. a

7 In combination, a frame having a supporting bottom, a receiving recess for a flattened blank and lateral shearing edges and clearance openings forwaste at each side of said support, a punching die beyond said shearing edges, a reciprocable shear mounted in the frame and coperable With said shearing edges, a punch mounted in the shear, cam mechanism for actuating the shear, cam mechanism for actuating. the punchl subsequent to the Vshear actuation, and spring mechanism for retracting the shear and punch.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

GEORGE c. FLOWER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

